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Wednesday, 01 May 2013 00:00

WNC breweries medal big in beer competition

All five North Carolina breweries west of Asheville medaled in the recent Carolinas Championship of Beer during the Hickory Hops Festival.   “It’s a testament that we are all in it for the long haul, that we will strive to…
Wednesday, 01 May 2013 00:00

Waynesville galleries get ready to paint the town for the season’s first art walk

If the litmus test of a community’s health is how strong its art scene is, then, by the looks of it, Waynesville is in tip-top shape. Hundreds will take to the streets of downtown this Friday evening for the first…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 02:05

Cliff swallows return

That’s the news. Our common breeding swallows have always been purple martins, barn swallows, and northern rough-winged swallows. To a lesser extent, tree swallows also breed here, where there are suitable tree cavities or boxes. Cliff swallows are another matter. 
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 02:00

Sign up for the WNC trail event of the decade

A national convergence of Appalachian Trail fans and hiking enthusiasts will descend on Western Carolina University this summer for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy Biennial conference. This year, the large gathering will be held July 19 through July 26 in Cullowhee.…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 02:00

Bugle Corp recognized for their volunteerism

In honor of National Volunteer Week, Friends of the Smokies is recognizing the work of the Elk Bugle Corps. The team of volunteers rove Cataloochee Valley in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and help educate the hordes of visitors…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:56

Protected watershed offers rare public hike

A guided hike to the usually off-limits Waynesville watershed will be held from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27. During the three- to five-mile hike, naturalist Don Hendershot will talk about the surrounding flora and fauna, and Peter…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:55

Protestors call for action on global warming

A group of about 30 demonstrators gathered last Monday at the public fountain on Main Street in downtown Sylva to demand state politicians take action to address climate change. The rally was one of a series of public gatherings around…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:53

Winter floods close some Smokies trails, repairs pending

A section of the Noland Creek Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be closed to hikers and horseback riders through May 2, as crews repair flood damage from the past winter.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:52

Races, paddling, music and more at NOC

Visitors to the Nantahala Gorge this weekend can take in a full lineup of freestyle paddling competitions, outdoor activities, film screenings, live music and family activities.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:51

Be a responsible ramp picker this spring

Spring means ramp season in Western North Carolina, but the ramp population in Southern Appalachians is being hurt by over-harvesting.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:50

Have what it takes to be a junior ranger?

Great Smoky Mountains National Park will celebrate the National Junior Ranger Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 27.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:49

Homecoming

The blue-headed vireo sang to me of spring sometime around the first week of April. Blue-headeds are generally the last “non-resident” songbird we hear in the fall (sometimes into November) and the first we hear in the spring — probably…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:45

Honeybee disappearance baffles experts

Beekeepers in Western North Carolina were hit especially hard this winter by a mysterious rash of bee disappearances.  Amateur Haywood County beekeeper Andy Bailey said he lost three of his four colonies during the winter. His final hive lasted until…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:41

Haywood library offers free digital magazine downloads

Haywood County Public Library announces the addition of Zinio to its system. Zinio is an online service that allows you to download digital copies of popular magazines to your computer, tablet or mobile device for free. You can view Zinio…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:39

Tension-soaked novel is one of Appalachia’s best

Mark Powell’s The Dark Corner is probably the best Appalachian novel that I have read in the last decade. It is also the most disturbing. In this, his third novel, Powell captures both the natural beauty of northwestern South Carolina and…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:31

WNC Ecofest comes to Haywood

WNC Ecofest will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, May 4, at Haywood Community College. The festival put on by the Haywood Chamber of Commerce will share practical ways to embrace a sustainable lifestyle and environmentally friendly…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:30

Folkmoot festival holds Canton fundraiser

Folkmoot USA will kick off its 30th anniversary year with the “BIG 30” from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, May 3, at Sid’s on Main in Canton. It will feature heavy hors d’oeuvres, music, cash bar and live and silent…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:30

Historian to discuss secret son of Cashiers founder

Local historian Jane Nardy will lead a presentation on the secret child of Mordecai Zachary at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, at the Cashiers-Glenville Recreation Center. The Cashiers historian, Nardy will deliver a presentation on the secret son of Cashiers’…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:29

Thunder in the Smokies rides into Maggie Valley

The Handlebar Corral presents the annual Thunder in the Smokies spring rally will be held May 3-5 in Maggie Valley.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:27

Tennis legends Roddick, Courier to face off in Cashiers exhibition match

Tennis superstars Andy Roddick and Jim Courier will play a charity exhibition match on Saturday, July 27, at Cedar Creek Racquet Club in Cashiers.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:26

Dunn to play Harrah’s

Country star Ronnie Dunn will be taking the stage at 9 p.m. Friday, April 27, at Harrah’s Cherokee Event Center.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:24

Photography exhibit goes underwater

Haywood County Arts Council announces a new exhibition, “Under the Sea,” featuring work by Dr. John Highsmith from May 1-27 at Gallery 86 in Waynesville.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:23

Controlled Chaos Film Festival comes to Cullowhee

Films created by Western Carolina University students will be screened at the fifth annual Controlled Chaos Film Festival at 7 p.m. Friday, May 3, in the Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center at WCU.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:21

Aiming for the soul, one note at a time

When finding your artistic voice, it’s about moving forward and not looking back, being true to yourself and refusing to run around in well-worn circles of creativity.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:19

Spring up at Greening Up

The 16th annual Greening Up the Mountains festival takes place Saturday, April 27, on Main and Mill streets in historic downtown Sylva. This free festival celebrates spring in the mountains, when the greening leaves work their way up the Great…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:08

Democrats need to unite behind Christopher

To the Editor: I’m deeply troubled to learn that some Haywood Democrats are still disgruntled about the appointment of Greg Christopher as sheriff. First of all, no one was more disappointed than me that Chief Deputy Larry Bryson was defeated.…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:07

Career politicians are the problem

To the Editor: Career politicians are ruining this country. Unfortunately, once elected, most of our politicians’ concerns are to become career politicians. Numerous tactics are used to meet their goal, i.e., gerrymandering, voter ID, caving in to lobbyists, etc. Currently…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:06

Dillsboro and Jackson need railroad back

To the Editor: How will the saga of the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad end? There have been many letters written about this grant, comparing it to a loan of Jackson County taxpayer money, which it is not. It is a…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 01:05

I will miss my conversations with Roger Ebert

I cannot credit film critic Roger Ebert, who died just a couple of weeks ago after a lengthy battle with cancer, with instilling in me a lifelong love of movies. I was already in love with movies before I saw…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:54

WCU’s Chris Cooper named among UNC system’s top professors

Chris Cooper, associate professor and head of the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University, has been named one of the best teachers in the University of North Carolina system in recognition of his engaging and…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:52

WCU names Drake to board

The University of North Carolina Board of Governors elected Phil Drake, chief executive officer of Drake Enterprises, and Kenny Messer, an executive with Milliken Corp., to four-year terms on the Western Carolina University Board of Trustees. A native of Franklin,…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:51

Scholarships available for high school seniors

The Fines Creek Community Association is offering $500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors living within the Fines Creek, Panther Creek and White Oak communities, as well as home-schooled students who graduate from a program certified by the N.C. Division…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:50

Free kids festival coming to Haywood fairgrounds

A free kids festival featuring music, activity areas, performances and give-aways will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, at the Haywood County Fairground by Haywood Smart Start. There will be craft and activity stations for…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:47

Cemeteries ensconced by park remain a source of consternation

It is a day Lawrence Hyatt looks forward to all year — venturing into the Smokies backcountry to pay homage at the graves of early settlers who lived there.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:44

Lake Junaluska’s bold new plan to reclaim its future

Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center has unveiled a $40 million, 10-year campus master plan in hopes of bolstering convention business and attracting a new breed of resort tourist.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:42

One-size-fits-all tourism brand sought for Jackson

Ask vacationers why they pick Jackson County, and you might heard words like “escape,” “relief” and “tradition.” 
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:23

Lots of winners in festival grants

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority will hand out a bevy of grants for festivals and niche tourism projects throughout the county this year — most of them old standards but a few new events.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:21

Folkmoot back in the tourism grant fold

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority will restore annual grant funding for Folkmoot USA, reversing a move last year to cut off the highly popular international folk dance festival. 
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:19

Maggie aldermen bow out of business approval process

The Maggie Valley town board will soon divest itself from the role of both judge and jury for new businesses moving into the town’s commercial district.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:17

Flourishing in a fading art form

It’s Monday morning, and Mary Lou Rinehart is taking a moment to relax. Owner of Clyde Ray’s Flower Shop in Waynesville, Rinehart spent most of the weekend putting the final touches on innumerable corsages and arrangements for the two high…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:16

Horse trading comes full circle in Jackson school budget

Jackson County Schools brokered a sweet deal with county commissioners last year, or so it seemed at the time. School leaders wanted to build a new gym and auditorium at Smoky Mountain High School in Sylva, but the $11.4 million…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:15

Tuscola High School student arrested for threats of mass violence

A 16-year-old Tuscola High School student was arrested by Haywood County Sheriff’s Office deputies Thursday afternoon, April 18, and charged with a felony after telling fellow students he planned to commit mass acts of violence at the school the following…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:13

More school counselors could afford needed ounce of prevention

If a student at Central Elementary has a particularly tough weekend at home, school counselor Leslie Smith won’t get to hear about it until four days later.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:11

National Guard send off one of many seen in WNC during decade-long conflict

As Lieutenant James Rossi took the stage in his fatigues, a toddler’s voice cut across the auditorium, breaking the otherwise formal and borderline somber ceremony marking the imminent deployment of local National Guard troops to Afghanistan.
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:08

No good deed goes unpunished in state’s domestic violence funding formula

The domestic violence nonprofit REACH of Macon County is facing a more than $80,000 shortfall next year due partly to state budget cuts and partly to repercussions of stepping up to the plate when assault victims in neighboring Jackson County…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:01

Neighborly lifeline for domestic violence victims could fray at the edges unless Jackson steps up

Nearly a year has passed since a domestic violence support agency in Jackson County abruptly shut down under financial duress, and so far there’s no sign on the horizon of a new nonprofit to fill the void. In the meantime,…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:00

Libraries brace for hit: Libraries play offense over state budget cuts

For years, state funding for libraries has been on the decline. But librarians in Western North Carolina are not taking this next round lying down. In response to a recommendation by Gov. Pat McCroy to cut the state library budget…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:00

DOT to pave the way for new casino coming to Murphy

The construction of a bridge and entrance road to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ second casino in Murphy has jumped from not even on the radar to the front of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s list of top road-building…
Wednesday, 24 April 2013 00:00

‘We’ll go back’: Sylva doctor who helped at Boston bombing vows not to let terrorists win

As the manhunt ends, the nation begins to cope and the primary suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing either lay dead or in custody, Dr. Allan Panter, a Sylva emergency room doctor who visited Boston for the race, is still…
Wednesday, 17 April 2013 13:48

The blue-grey gnatcatcher is a mighty mite

Elizabeth and I were sitting on the deck Monday evening when a tiny bird made an abbreviated appearance — apparently just to check us out — and disappeared. It took only a fleeting glimpse for us to know that our…
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